


The light in the darkness

by Appreciatedvillain



Series: What if...? [2]
Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 00:48:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29463039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Appreciatedvillain/pseuds/Appreciatedvillain
Summary: What if Krux raised Lloyd?
Relationships: Lloyd Garmadon & Krux
Series: What if...? [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2047364
Comments: 3
Kudos: 19





	The light in the darkness

**Author's Note:**

> I have done it. I have written the first chapter of this AU

It was pouring down. Deep puddles were starting to form everywhere. People were seeking shelter under bridges, in shops and under roofings. Lloyd couldn't remember ever seeing it rain so heavy. It scared him. He wanted to go home, play with his parents and listen to their stories. So why was his mom dragging him through the rain? It was just so cold and wet.

"Mom, where are we going? I wanna go home! I don't wanna be here!" He shivered in his black raincoat. Rain drops rolled down his cheeks but they might as well have been tears. There was this strange feeling in his stomach. It was no stomach ache, he knew what that felt like. All he knew was that he didn't like it.

"We're... visiting a friend of mine. You will really like him, Lloyd, he is really funny and nice." His mom's voice sounded weird. Normally, her voice was filled with happiness and love. Now, it didn't sound like her at all. And she didn't even look at him. Not once. She was avoiding to look at him. Had he done something wrong? Was his mom angry with him?

"B-but mom, what about dad? He wanted to play with me today! He's late and we're not home! He won't know where we are! I wanna see him!" His mom's grip got tighter. Lloyd sobbed as he remembered how she would usually stroke his hand while smiling at him when they were making their way across town. It was like his mom had been replaced by someone else. Someone just as cold as this night. He didn't want to be here. Everything felt so wrong.

He just wanted her to explain, to tell him what was wrong. But his mom stayed silent. She did not utter a word when some panicked citizens passed them and did not respond when Lloyd asked if they could please just stop walking because his feet hurt. If only his father was here to comfort him and tell him why his mother was so distant.

As they made their way up to the Ninjago Museum of History, Misako looked at her son for the first time since they had left the house. The boy's fearful eyes met hers. She looked so tired and sad. "Mom...?" Tears filled her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. His mother forced a smile and turned back to the museum. "Mom, what's wrong? Please, I'm scared!" But she didn't answer.

As they entered the building, Lloyd remembered all the times he had been here before. His mother was an archeologist. When she wasn't home, she would learn more about lost legends and search for artifacts. His mom was an adventurer and a hero. Every time she found something new, all three of them would come to the museum. She would tell the story of how she found some artifact and they would later eat sweets together. Usually, it was a bright place, but now it was dark and cold.

"The museum is closed! Please come again another time!" The voice came from the little gift shop. Lloyd glanced at his mother, but she didn't turn around and go back. She seemed unsure for a moment, but then she took a deep breath.

"...mom...?" Lloyd whispered.

"I-it's me, Sander. I know this is a very sudden visit but... there is so much going on, I... it's just too much, I know things that could... no, things that change _everything_ and I _need_ answers _._ But I can't- I can't, not with..." His mother stopped her rant and leaned against the wall. Her whole body was shaking. Misako had never been so scared and helpless before. Lloyd wished it to end. He wanted his dad to hug him and tell him why his mom was so distraught.

A tall man entered the room and Lloyd hid behind his mother's leg. Sander looked about the same age as her, with a black, receding hairline that had started turning grey. He also had an incredibly long mustache. If Lloyd hadn't been so afraid, he might have considered pulling it, but right now everything was just too much. His vision was getting blurry from all the tears.

"What happened, Misako?" The man glanced at Lloyd and frowned. "Why did you bring your child? It is way past his bedtime. He shouldn’t be here so late. Shouldn’t Garmadon take care of him?"

Lloyd's mother didn't meet Sander's eyes. "The venom in Garmadon's blood has... he has been consumed by evil at last. He... he tried to steal the Golden Weapons. Wu... he..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "My husband... is in the Underworld now. There isn't much good left inside him. He wants to rule. He won't stop until he has conquered Ninjago and... I need to stop it! I...I can't allow it to happen! There's got to be a way to fix this!" She clenched her fists. The boy took a step backwards. He didn't understand anything she was talking about. Nothing was how it was supposed to be.

"So the Great Devourer's venom has corrupted him completely," Sander said after an uncomfortably long moment of silence and glanced at a scroll on the wall. Lloyd couldn’t read it, but he saw the five figures dressed in white, blue, black, red and green. “And you are certain he is the Dark Lord the prophecy mentioned.”

"Yes. And I need to stop it somehow. If my worst fears come true, the final battle will end with his death. I cannot allow this... not when-" Misako looked back at her son who was wiping his tears off.

"Mom, what's going on?" Lloyd whimpered. His four-year-old mind couldn't grasp anything the adults said. Everything sounded so bizarre... was his dad gone? The venom had done something bad to his father and he was somewhere else now, that much he understood. Something bad had happened to his father and his mom was a mess because of it. But just as before, he was ignored.

“I want to research everything regarding the prophecy. There has to be another way! But I can’t take Lloyd with me. It is just too dangerous for him. I know this is a big request, but please take care of him for me! He needs to be safe and I don’t know who else to turn to!” Lloyd stared at her with wide eyes. His mother wanted to abandon him...? She wanted to leave him with a stranger...?

Sander looked equally as shocked as Lloyd. "I... I am just the museum's director. I may be good with children on tours but only because I interact with them for a short period of time. I have _never_ babysat before. His uncle should take care of him, not me.”

Misako shook her head. “I wish it was that simple, but... it’s not. Wu will train Lloyd to fight against his father, Sander. Especially when he finds out he is the one destined to defeat him. I’ve seen it. Just a few months ago, Lloyd played with these cursed weapons and they... reacted. It will tear my family apart. I can’t allow this to happen... I just _can’t!_ Lloyd needs to be as far away from his father and uncle as possible.”

The man looked conflicted. “How long do you even expect me to look after him?”

“Only a few months. As soon as I know what I need, I’ll be back. It... It’s just for a few months.” Misako smiled weakly. “I know it’s a lot to ask for, but... everyone else would just make sure he lives the life that prophecy wanted him to have. That’s what you get for befriending heroes and adventurers.” A hollow laugh escaped her mouth.

“I will take care of him,” Sander said. “But don’t think it will change his destiny. Prophecies always come true, one way or another.”

“...mom, are you going to leave me here?” Lloyd whimpered and clutched at his mother’s leg. “I don’t want to be alone! I want you and dad!” 

Her eyes were filled with sadness as she looked down at him. “I will be back Lloyd, I promise.” She gently stroked his hair as he sobbed and begged her not to leave him. “Sander Saunders will take care of you. He’s a good man and knows a lot of interesting things. You will love it here, I promise. And before you know it, everything will be back to normal.” Sander Saunders. What a strange name. As he glanced up at his mother, she smiled. “Promise me you will be good.”

“...okay,” he sniffed, “I promise, mom...”

Misako wiped her own tears off before she looked at Sander. “I can’t thank you enough. If you ever need help-“

“-I will know who I should ask.” After a moment of hesitation, Lloyd was picked up by the strange man. He was surprisingly muscular for a simple man working at a museum. But he still held the boy like he was some fragile doll. He seemed rather reluctant to have him that close to him.

“It won’t be for long. Just be patient,” Lloyd’s mother gave him a last smile before she walked outside into the rain. Lloyd could feel that his eyes were filling with tears again. His whole body was shaking and Sander seemed nervous.

“...you can, um, call me ‘uncle Sander’ if you want to.”

“O-okay.”

With unsure steps, the man made his way through the museum and into his own private area. It was surprisingly small given how big the rest of the museum was. “I don’t have a bed for you, but... you can sleep-“

But to his surprise (and relief) Lloyd had already cried himself to sleep. Lloyd still clung to his clothes as if his life depended on it. He had no idea that it was true, in a way. This was the perfect chance for an old enemy of his father to get rid of him.

Krux groaned and let himself fall in a rather old-fashioned armchair, the boy’s body still in his arms. "Taking care of the infant of my enemy. This is what my life has become..."


End file.
